Sheet-guide for printing-presses



c. F. HUNEYCUTT.

SHEET GUIDE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPL I0, 1919.

mm W H m E u m 5 Z. 0 Z

2 E iv 1 M C. F. HUNEYCUTT. SHEET GUIDE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 10, I919.

Patented June 1, 1920 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- f I l/I/VE/VT 0 R 01.7fm wWITNESSES A TTORNEYS c. F. 'HUNEYCUTT.

SHEET GUIDE FOR PRINTING PRESSES. APPL EATIQN FILED SEPT- 10, 1919.

Patented June 1, 1920.

iFflu/neywit l TTORNEY&.

. platen, influence UNITED srar ONEJ-IALF TO C. F.

BRETHOLL, 0F CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA,

SHEET-GUIDE' FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification or Lett a n Patented June1,1920.

Application filed. September 10,1919. Serial No. 322,912..

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that 1, Cinemas FRANKLIN HUNEYQUTT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Charlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg andState of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful1mprovements in Sheet-Guides for Printing- Presses, of which thefollowing is a speci fication. i My invention relates to sheetguides forprinting presses and more particularly to movable sheet guides adaptedto engage and properly position the sheets for. impression. An importantobject of my invention is to provide'a movable sheet guide particularlyadapted for use with bed-'and-platen presses of the Gordon type in-whichthe guides will engage with'the sheets as they are fed tothe them toproper positions for impression and leave the impression surface of theplaten immediately prior to the act of impression with the sheetsmaintained in proper position by the gagesordinarily provided. 7 a

Another object is to provide means for insuring correct delivery of thesheets tothe platen when automatic press feed devices of the endlesstape typeare employed.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts and will becomeapparent as the description prov ceeds, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which; iI

Figure l is a side elevation of my improvement showing the partsdisposed in normal position, I V

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the parts in the position they takewhen the platen is in position for impression,

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the guide fingers andassociated supporting and operating structure, 7 i

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of myimprovement associated with anautomatic press feed device of the endlesstape type,

Fig. 5 is a plan View showing mytimproved guiding means-associated with.the feed device, Fig. ,6 is a detail perspective view of the guidingstrip and supporting structure of the guiding means to the feed device.

Heretofore in the printing art, and especially since the advent ofautomatic press feeding devices, considerable and serious difficultyhasbeen experienced in properly positioning the sheet on the platen forinip'ression. This has been occasionedby a variety of causes but mostlybecause of the tendency of the sheet to curl or because of the sheetgoing past the gages provided to maintain. the same in proper position.In most instances thereresults a clogging of the machine,- necessitatinga press stop, but in all instances there is a loss of material and oftime, My invention aims to eliminate these disadvantages by providingmovable sheet guides whichengage the sheets as they are delivered to theplaten, overcome any tendency of the sheet; to curl, and infiuences thesheets'to'proper position for impression. Immediately prior toimpressionthe guides are automaticallywithdrawn from the impressionsurface, the sheets being'thenmaintained in proper positionby the gagesordinarily provided. In this manner, not only are the disadvantagesabove enumerated overcome, but in add1t1on,forms with a very 7 closemargin may be run on pressesemplo'ying automatic press feeders, anoperation not possible with the devices hitherto employed, in which'thesheet guides provided do not leave the impression surface.

Referring tothe drawings, it will be seen i my invention is shownapplied to a bed-andplaten press of the Gordon type and includes a frameA and an oscillating platen B mounted on said frame. The platen isprovided with the usual. feed gages C and grip? pers D formaintainingthe sheet in position on the platen. The usual type bed E andinking plate and rollers F andG respectively, are provided as showndiagrammatically in Fig. 4. v

A bracket 10 is secured to the under side of the platen at the lower endthereof by suitable fastening means engaged with the platen and with theaperture 11 and slot 12 in the bracket. The body 'of the bracket isoffset as shown in Fig. 3 and bracket extensions- 13 are secured 1 tothe body of the bracket and have their outer. ends provided withsuitable journals for the oscillating shaft 14. Collars 15 are securedtothe shaft adjacent the outer side of each of the bracket extensionsand serve to prevent displacement of the shaft from the journals of thebracket extensions. The shaft is provided with a crank 16 at one endthereof.

Projecting radially from the collars 15 are pins 17 and cooperating withthe pins 17 and hooks 18 secured to-the body portion of the bracket areretractile springs 19 which serve to maintain and return the oscillatingv shaft 14 in normal or central position.

Secured to the oscillating shaft 14: and constrained to oscillatetherewith, are holders 20. These holders are in the form of metallicstrips having one end bent around the oscillating shaft and fastenedthereto by screws 21 and having their other end bent upon itself andadapted to be drawn tight against the body of the strip by screws 22.The bight of this bend'is provided with a slot which receives the innerend of the guiding means 23 in the form of thin strips of flexiblematerial having their outer ends bent back'upon the strip to form hookedends 23. These strips constitute guiding fingers and are adapted to beadjustably secured to the holders 20. The

strips extend upwardly through the usual feed gages and in their normalposition, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, extend over and above the" surfaceof the platen for a relatively great distance. In the printing positionof the platen as shown in Fig. 2, these guiding fingers are withdrawnfrom the surface of the" platen, the hooked ends thereof being engagedwith the feed gages, as shown in Fig. 2.

Secured to the frame of the press is a projection in the form of acurved piece of resilient metal 24;. On the downward movement-oftheplaten the crank 16' engages with the projection and rotates the shaft14 to i move the guide fingers from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4to the position shown in Fig. 2. On the return movement of the platenthe crank is released from engagement withthe projection and theretractile springs 19 reversely rotate the shaft 14;, completing theoscillating movement of the shaft and returning the guide fingers to theposition shown inFigs. 1 and 4;

When an automatic press feed device of the endless tape type isemployed, as shown diagrammatically in Figs. 4 and 5, as includingendless tapes H and driving rollers 1 I provide additional guiding meansto insuredeliver'y of the sheets to the platen in correct position. Thisguiding means consists of a suitablesu-pport preferably in the formof'atubular housing 25 secured to a; bracket 26. Slidable in this housing isa bar 27 having 'a vertically depending portion 28'gto which is securedan elongated guide strip 29 having an adjustable sheet bearing portion30 fixed thereto. 'This adjustable sheet bearing portion is controlled1n posltion by a set screw 31 and the bar 27 is controlled in positionby a set. screw 32 extending through the suitable housin and bearingagainstthe bar. The bars. 2? are adjusted in the housing as required bythe sheet and the sheet bearing portionsare adjusted to position topress the sheets "against the endless tape and in this manner correctdelivery of the sheets to the platen is insured.

In practice, it is to be noted that the guide fingers engage the sheetsas they are delivered tothe platenby virtue of the fact that they extendfor a relatively great distance over and above'the platen and havetherefore, guiding surfaces having a relatively great range of action.Inthis mantion by the action of the gages and grippers ordinarilyprovided. After the positioning of the sheet, however, the movement ofthe guiding fingers is continued until they are entirely withdrawn fromthe-impression surface of the platen as shown in Fig. 2. It is to benoted that the guiding fingers not only properly position the sheet, butby virtue of their longitudinal movement over thesheet, serve tostraighten the same out and thereby overcome any tendency to curl. Thefeature of the adjustment of the fingers of the holders and theflexible, quality of the material constituting the fingers, insures correct and easy adaptation-t0 all the conditions and requirements of theiruses.

' 1. A sheet guide for printing presses, in cluding a'frame andoscillating platen on said frame, consisting of a bracket secured to theunderside of said platen and having extensions provided with bearings,an oscillating shaftv having a crank on one end. thereof mounted in saidbearing, holders fixed to said shaft, movable guide fingers secured insaid holders and extending over the platen and adapted to engage thesheets to simultaneously influence them to the surface of the platen-andto draw them to proper position for impression, a projection secured tosaid frame and adapted to be engaged with the crank on the downwardmovement of said platen to movesaid guide fingers and to withdraw themfrom the impression surface of said platen, and retractile springs toreversely rotate said shaft and return'said guide fingers to initialposition on the upward movement of said platen.

2. Ashe'et' guide for; printing presses, in-

eluding a frame 'and an oscillating platen 'an oscillating shaft havinga crank on one end thereof mounted in said bearing, holders fixed tosaid shaft, movable guide fingers secured in said holders and extendingover theplaten and adapted to engage the sheets to simultaneouslyinfluence them to the surface of the platen and to draw them to properposition for impression, and a projection secured to said frame andadapted to beengaged with the crank on'the downward movement of saidplaten to movesaid guide fingers and to withdraw them from theimpression surface of said platen.

3. A sheet guide for printing presses, including a frame and anoscillating platen on said frame, consisting of a bracket secured tosaid platen, a shaft journaled in said bracket, holders fixed to saidshaft,

guide fingers adjustably secured in said holders having a guidingsurface extending over the platen in the direction of feed of the sheetto engage the sheets before they aredelivered to the platen, meansoperative by'the movement of said platen to oscillate said shaft to movesaid guide fingers and to withdraw them from the impression surface ofthe platen prior to the act of impression and to return them to initialposition subsequent to the act of depression, and means for constrainingsaid guiding fingers to guiding motion across and toward .the platen intheYdirection of the feed of the sheet, whereby the guiding surface ofsaid fingers simultaneously move the sheets toward the surface oftheplaten and draw them to proper position for impression.

4. A sheet guide for printing presses, in-

cluding a frame, an oscillating platen on said frame, consisting ofbearings secured to said platen, a shaft mounted in said bearings, guidefingers operated by said shaft and having a guiding surface extendingover the platen in the direction of feed of the sheet to engage thesheets before they are delivered to the platen, means to rotate saidshaft to actuate said guide fingers and'to withdraw them from theimpression surface of the platen on the downward movement thefeof, meansto reversely rotate said shaft and return the guide fingers to initialposition on the upward movement of said platen, and means to constrainsaid guide fingers to guiding motion across and toward the platen in'thedirection of the feed of the sheet, whereby the guiding surfaces of saidfingers simultaneously move the sheets toward the surface of the platenand draw them to proper position for impression.

5. A sheet guide for printing presses comprising guiding means having aguiding surface extending over the platen of the I V press inth edirection of feed ofthe sheet'to engage the sheets beforeithey aredelivered to the platen, means for moving said guiding means andwithdrawing the guide means from the impression surface of the platenoperated by and in synchronism with the movement of the platen, andmeans for con straining said guiding means to guiding motion across andtoward the platenin the direction of the feed of the sheet whereby theguiding surface of said guiding means simultaneously moves the sheetstoward the surface of the platen and draws them to proper position forimpression.

6. A sheet guide for printing presses, comprising guiding means having aguiding surface extending over the platen in the direction of feed ofthesheet to engage the sheets before they are delivered to the platen,means for moving said guiding means and withdrawing them from theimpression surface ofthe platen, and means for constraining said guidingmeans to guiding motion across and toward the platen in the direction offeed of the sheet whereby the guiding surface of said guiding meanstance from the platen to engage the sheets 100.

before they are delivered ftothesurface of the platen, means .for movingsald sheet guiding means and for W1tl1ClIELXX1I1g thG same from theimpression surface of they platen, and means for constraining said sheetguiding means to guiding motion across and toward the platen in thedirection of-the feed of the sheet whereby the guiding surface of saidfingers simultaneously influence the sheet to the surface of the platenand move them to the proper position for impression.

8. A sheet guide for printing presses comprising movable guide fingershaving a guiding surface extending over the platen in the 1 direction offeed of the sheet to engage the sheets before they are delivered to theplaten, means for actuating said guide fingers, and means forconstraining said guiding fingers to a relatively large horizontal and arelatively small downward motion with respect to the platen in thedirection of the feed of the sheet whereby the guiding surface of saidfingers engage the sheets before they are delivered to the surface ofthe platen and simultaneously influence the sheets toward the surface ofthe platen and move them to proper position for impression. v

9. A sheet guide for printing presses comsion.

prising flexible guide fingers having aguiding surface extending overthe platen in the direction of the feed of the sheet adaptedto engagesheets before they are delivered to the platen, means for actuating saidguide fingers, and means constraining said guide fingers to guidingmotion, across and toward the platenin the direction of-feed of thesheet whereby the guiding surfaces ofsaid fingerssimultaneouslyinfluence the sheets toward the surface of the platen andmove them to proper position for impression.

10; A sheet guide forprinting presses comprising upwardly curved guidefingers having aguiding surface extending over the platen inthe-direction of feed of the sheets, means for moving said guidingfingers and for withdrawing them from the platen of the press, and meansfor constraining said,

guiding fingers to guiding motion across and toward the platen in thedirection of the feed of the sheet whereby the guiding surface of saidfingers simultaneously move the sheets toward the surface of theplatenand draws them to proper position for impres- 11. A sheet guidefor printing presses comprising resiliently flexible guide fingersupwardly curved over the platen of the press having a guiding surfaceextending over the platen in the direction of the feed of. the sheet toengage the sheets before they are delivered to the platen, means formoving said guiding fingers and for withdrawing them' from the platen ofthe press, ,and

means forconstraining said guiding fingers to guiding motion across andtoward the platen in,the direction of the feed of the sheet whereby theguiding surface of said fingers simultaneously moves the sheetstowardthe surfaces'of the platen and draws them to proper position forimpression.

12.A sheet guide for printing presses comprising resiliently flexibleguide fingers upwardly curved over the platen of the sition.

press having a guiding surface extending overthe platen in the directionof the feed of the sheet to engage the sheets'before they are deliveredto the platen, means for moving said guide fingers and for withdrawingthem from the platen of the press, and means rigidly secured to theplaten having an opening therethrough for the passage vof said guidefingers to constrain said guide fingers to guiding motion across andtoward the platen in the direction of the feed of the sheet whereby theguiding surfaces of said fingers simultaneously move the sheets towardthe surface of the platen and draw them to proper position forimpression.

13. A 'sheet guide for printing presses comprising guiding means havinga guiding surface extending over the platen of the press in thedirection of feed of the sheets to-engage the sheets before they aredelivered to the platen and means for vmoving said guiding means acrossand toward the surface of the platen whereby the guiding meanssimultaneously move the sheets toward the surface of the platen and drawthem to proper position for impression.

14. A sheet guide for printing presses including a frame, a'platenoscillating on said frame and sheet gages on said platen consisting ofguide fingers extending through said sheet gages and upwardly curvedover the platen of the press and adapted to engage the sheets tosimultaneously move the sheets toward the surface of the platen and drawthem to proper position for impression said guide fingers having theirouter ends hooked, and means for actuating the guide fingers throughtheir guiding movements and for withdrawing them from the impressionsurface of the platen, the hooked ends of said guidefingers beingengaged with the feed gages in said withdrawn po- GHARLES FRANKLIN HUNEYOUTT.

